First Drive: 2006 Ford Explorer

[BMWDave]

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First Drive:
2006 Ford Explorer
by Paul Williams


Photos: Ford. Click image to enlarge
Selecting a location to introduce a new vehicle is based on several factors. Maybe it's the unique environment, or perhaps the site is close to where the vehicle is built. Maybe there are roads close by that suit the character of the car.

For the debut of the 2006 Ford Explorer, Ford chose Lake Placid, New York, site of this year's "Ironman USA Triathlon."

"Part of the allure of the vehicle is its capability," said Ford Division President Darryl Hazel. "At some part of each Explorer buyer is this Ironman connection." Further emphasizing that connection, Ford is now the title sponsor for the Ironman USA Triathlon event.

 
Whether the Explorer is the Ironman of SUVs may be a matter of debate, but the personal trainers at Ford have put the new vehicle through its paces. With maximum towing capacity at 7,120 pounds (3,230 kilograms) when properly equipped, payload up 10% and available seating for seven occupants, this SUV is a formidable hauler of people and their heavy toys.

Three trim levels are offered: XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited, all with standard all-wheel drive. Under the hood of the XLT and Eddie Bauer versions, a choice between 4.0 litre V6 and 4.6 litre V8 engines provides 210 and 292 horsepower, and 254 and 300 pounds-feet of torque respectively. The Explorer's V8 engine, standard on the Limited version, is up 53 hp over the 2005 model, and mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission (the V6 uses a five-speed automatic).


Fuel efficiency is improved by 10% for the V8, and emissions from the V6 achieve the same tailpipe standard as the Ford Escape Hybrid, making it an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV II is the U.S. standard).

The 2006 Explorer also features an all-new frame (Explorers have always been body-on-frame vehicles), new independent front and rear suspensions and improved braking. According to Ford the new frame is 63% more resistant to bending and 55% more resistant to twisting. Among other benefits, it permits the vehicle to be tuned for improved impact dampening that reduces body lean in corners.

For 2006, "tough luxury," as Ford calls it, defines the Explorer. While it's obviously got the grunt, it has also been to finishing school.

On the highway and driving around town, external noise in the cabin is virtually non-existent. It's really quite something how big vehicles like the Explorer have become so silent (technically, this is a "mid-size" SUV, but with available three row seating and generous cargo capacity, it seems pretty big to me).

Granted, some of the freshly paved roads around Lake Placid looked like they'd been polished overnight, such was the ride-flattering texture of their velvety smooth surfaces. But we did head into the bush on some rugged trails and broken pavement, and the Explorer was equally poised and refined.

Ford says this is the quietest Explorer ever. They've even made the climate control system 30% quieter, along with using special materials to reduce vibration and noise throughout the vehicle, and new butyl rubber body mounts to reduce noise, vibration and harshness in the ride. New insulation materials have been used in the headliner, door panels and floor; the exhaust system is improved, and aerodynamic drag is reduced.

But although you experience the effects of these enhancements as driver or passenger, you don't really see them because they're built into the vehicle. What you do see is the all-new interior, with its nicely tailored seats, panels and carpets, unique "safety" door pulls, and an attractive new instrument panel and dashboard.


Toward the rear, the second and third-row seats now fold completely flat when required (in the 2005 model, Ford admits, they folded "almost" flat). The third-row power-fold seat is a $1,065 option for the Eddie Bauer, but standard on the Limited, while a manual third-row seat is available for the XLT (both power and manual third row seating are now 50/50 split-folding). The new leather interior is particularly nice, with its available "Preferred Suede" two-tone seat surfaces and for the first time, the Explorer can be purchased with an available navigation system.

The exterior of the Explorer has also received extensive revision, with new grilles, front fenders and hood, and new rear treatments. The overall footprint of the vehicle remains the same as the outgoing model, but Ford says the changes, especially at the front, give it more presence. I would have to agree with this, as its signature broad, square lines seem tighter and more commanding. Chromed, 18" wheels are available, with 16" wheels standard on the XLT, and 17" wheels standard on the Eddie Bauer and Limited.


The 2006 Explorer is well equipped with safety features, including standard AdvanceTrac (vehicle stability control) with Roll Stability Control, front seat side airbags and available side curtain airbags (which I'd like to see standard, given their proven effectiveness in side collisions). Power adjustable pedals are also available. Ford says the new Explorer meets all known U.S. frontal- and side-impact crash requirements through 2010.

Since its introduction in 1990, over five million Explorers have been built, making it the segment leader for 15 years. While great strides have been made in refinement and sophistication, the fuel consumption of this class of vehicle is still very high. We achieved only 20.1 L/100km during the press introduction in our V8 Eddie Bauer (about 14 miles per Canadian gallon). But if you buy a solid, multi-passenger vehicle built to tow heavy trailers, this result should not come as a surprise.

Happily, while the price of fuel is going up, the price of Ford Explorers has come down for 2006. Must be all that "Ironman" working out.

At A Glance

Available: Fall 2006

Price:

XLT V6: $39,995
XLT V8: $41,495
Eddie Bauer V6: $45,995
Eddie Bauer V8: $47,495
Limited V8: $51,295
All prices plus $1,050 freight

[ifcar]

I hope this Explorer is as good as this article would suggest, because with its value pricing, it could be a great deal.  

[TBR]

Wow, I saw those prices and freaked out, but then I realized that they were in canadian dollars   ^_^ . The improvements do sound good.

[dave998]

Im cautiously optimisitc, I want to hear what some other magazines and newspapers say before I start passing judgement. Its easy to get excited.

[thewizard16]

The styling doesn't excite me by any means, but neither did the last one. The interior looks nice, and the V8 would appear to be a nice engine. Couldn't say more until I've been in/driven one.

[giant_mtb]

It appears to be much lower to the ground and has a more pronounced stance.  The only thing I don't like about the interior is the gauges...I like the speedo in the middle, not to the far right.

[dave998]

heres another review from the detroit news

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- When Mark C. Kaufman, Ford's SUV marketing manager, told me that the No. 1 complaint from Explorer owners was uncomfortable seats, I immediately thought of my sister Claudia.

She lives in West Virginia and not only travels to visit family in Michigan, but also, like many Explorer owners, loves to take road trips. In fact, when I was in Lake Placid testing the redesigned 2006 Ford Explorer, she was on another adventure in her Explorer, this time going from Charleston up to Bar Harbor, Maine, and on to Prince Edward Island. While she's never complained about her Explorer, I have seen her emerge from the SUV with her hand on her back, needing a good stretch and maybe a heating pad after an eight-hour trip.

After spending six hours here driving the new and improved Explorer, the country's best-selling SUV, I'm happy to tell Claudia I've got good news. Road trips in the redone Explorer are easier on your back and backside due to a significant redesign of the seats after mapping "pressure points" from a wider range of customers.

The new Explorer is also easier on your wallet. Ford says it has reduced the price on the 2006 Explorer by an average of $1,750 from the 2005 model. Base prices on 2006 Explorers range from $27,175 to $33,160, including destination. The new Explorer goes on sale in late summer.

Chalk up 2006 as the year when Ford finessed the up-to-seven-passenger Explorer, tweaking the best-selling SUV in a number of ways, from boosting the horsepower on the optional 4.6-liter V-8 to improving towing capacity and handling, to further endear it to legions of loyal buyers like my sister.

What bugged me was that, despite the fact that Ford executives continually touted the 10 standard advanced safety technologies on the 2006 Explorer during our drive, the SUV still lacks air-bag protection for the third-row seat -- the place where kids are most likely to plop themselves. If I ran the show at Ford, that would have been a higher priority for me than the Explorer's new adaptive energy-absorbing steering column. It is my No. 1 complaint about the 2006 model.

I test-drove a 2006 Explorer Eddie Bauer edition with a base price of $34,270. It was loaded with options, including a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, four-wheel drive, the new 18-inch chrome-clad wheels, power adjustable pedals and a reverse-sensing system.

Bottom line: $43,160, including a $645 destination charge. That's just about where Ford's Land Rover LR3 starts.

One of my favorite things about the new Explorer is the improved ride and handling, which benefits from a stiffer frame, retuned steering and brakes and a new rear suspension design. The result is a comfortable ride that's neither floaty nor harsh. The vehicle is more responsive and feels flatter in corners than the old model. Our drive took us through many winding roads in the upstate New York countryside, and the Explorer continually conveyed a sense of security because of the way it was firmly planted on the pavement or gravel.

For 2006, the Explorer's optional V-8 engine gets a significant boost in power and a new transmission.

The Explorer's SOHC 4.6-liter V-8 now gets three valves per cylinder instead of two, and the result is a big boost in output over last year's engine. The engine delivers 292 horsepower, 53 more than the previous 4.6-liter engine, and 300 pounds-feet of torque.

It is paired with a new, smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission, which helps improve fuel economy over last year's five-speed automatic. Ford said it does not yet have EPA fuel-economy numbers on the 2006 V-8, although it expects an improvement of up to 2 miles per gallon over the old, 239-horsepower V-8 engine. The EPA rates the 2005 Explorer 4x4 with the 4.6-liter V-8 at 14 miles per gallon in city driving and 18 mpg on the highway.

The standard engine in the 2006 Explorer is a 4.0-liter V-6 that is carried over from last year. It makes 210 horsepower and 254 pounds-feet of torque, and is mated once again to a five-speed automatic transmission.

Ford says the new Explorer has a 7,300-pound towing capacity, a modest improvement over the previous model, which could tow up to 7,000 pounds.

Long-time Explorer aficionados will be impressed with a slate of new interior refinements, including an optional $1,340 power-folding rear seat with a 50-50 split that lowers completely at the touch of two buttons. There is also a cleverly designed second-row bench seat that "kneels" or drops down an inch or so closer to the floor after you flip it forward so you can fold it flat -- a small, but significant breakthrough in SUV design.

The shift lever has been moved from the steering column to the center console in the 2006 Explorer because of that new adaptive steering column that collapses in stages in a crash.

The shift lever is enormous and comes from the F-150. That single feature totally changes the personality of the interior by lending a less-minivan-ish, more sporty feel. The '06 Explorer's interior door handles are big and cylindrical, accented with a big chunk of chrome. New suede seat inserts on some trim levels are a small touch that adds sophistication. A new "media" button on the steering wheel lets you toggle among satellite radio, DVD player, CD player and the radio. Sirius satellite radio is not available at launch, but Ford says it should be added a few months later.

By finessing the Explorer, I mean improving the tiniest details, such as repositioning the heated-seat switches, which were located between the door and the seat on the 2005 model and have been moved to the instrument panel on the 2006 model, so you don't have to blindly feel around for them anymore. The driver's seat also gets its first power-recline control for the 2006 model year. The cheap touches in the cabin, which have yet to be addressed, are a flimsy sunglasses holder and vanity mirrors that only have lights on one side.

The cabin is Lexus-quiet, due to improved sound-deadening insulation throughout the vehicle, in places like the headliner and carpets. There are fewer squeaks and rattles, too, due to the new frame. I rode in the front and back of the new Explorer with two other people and didn't have trouble hearing the conversation from any seat.

One disappointment may be a cautious, almost inconsequential restyling of the exterior.

I was having so much difficulty picking out the changes between the two models that I begged Glenn Burke, Explorer marketing manager, to put the two vehicles side-by-side in the parking lot behind our hotel after the formal ride program was finished, so he could point out exactly what the differences were.

Fog lamps are now rectangular and the exterior mirrors are bigger, he said, walking around a 2006 model. Explorer gets 18-inch wheels for the first time, with a striking new wheel design that gives the SUV more bling than it's ever had.

Depending on which model you choose, there are three new F-150-inspired grille designs to replace the old egg-crate design, including a new one with "nostrils" or big vertical slits on the redesigned Eddie Bauer edition. The Explorer with the Eddie Bauer face is definitely the way to go if you want to get noticed.

A mild redesign of the liftgate did not include a power feature, something that surprised me, since the liftgate is somewhat heavy. I imagine many women would have appreciated the ability to hit a button on the Explorer's key fob and have the hatch automatically flip open.

To sum up, the new Explorer's changes may not amount to a quantum leap over the old model, but it's a solid effort.

Ford's biggest problem may be keeping the 2006 model under wraps just long enough to unload all the 2005 Explorers.  

[ifcar]

He couldn't tell what the differences were?

[BMWDave]

He couldn't tell what the differences were?

I believe he meant all the internal revisions, which arent readily noticeable.

[ifcar]

"One disappointment may be a cautious, almost inconsequential restyling of the exterior.

I was having so much difficulty picking out the changes between the two models that I begged Glenn Burke, Explorer marketing manager, to put the two vehicles side-by-side in the parking lot behind our hotel after the formal ride program was finished, so he could point out exactly what the differences were."

Sounds to me like he's talking about the exterior.

[BMWDave]

"One disappointment may be a cautious, almost inconsequential restyling of the exterior.

I was having so much difficulty picking out the changes between the two models that I begged Glenn Burke, Explorer marketing manager, to put the two vehicles side-by-side in the parking lot behind our hotel after the formal ride program was finished, so he could point out exactly what the differences were."

Sounds to me like he's talking about the exterior.

Oh, I thought you were talking about the Canadian Driver review.

[ifcar]

I was talking about the review that I'd posted right under, not the one that I'd replied about yesterday.

[BMWDave]

I was talking about the review that I'd posted right under, not the one that I'd replied about yesterday.

I figured out that much just after I posted my reply to your post.  

[ifcar]

I was talking about the review that I'd posted right under, not the one that I'd replied about yesterday.

I figured out that much just after I posted my reply to your post.

Congratulations.  :)  

[Shane]

I like this new Explorer.  The front is not so corportate Ford bland like before.  Looks like the VW/Audi big grill trend is taking off.  I like the application here.  

[JYODER240]

Looks better IMO, they got a little contrversial with the grill and I like it, shows they are willing to take a chance.

[Raza]

This thing needs an SVT version!

[JYODER240]

This thing needs an SVT version!

SVT Explorer vs. Trailblazer SS.    

[Tom]

This thing needs an SVT version!

It needs an SVT version like I need a third nut.

[ifcar]

This thing needs an SVT version!

Look out, someone isn't going to recognize sarcasm.  :D  

[Raza]

This thing needs an SVT version!

Look out, someone isn't going to recognize sarcasm.  :D

Probably someone who works at Ford!

:o